News tagged ‘display’

Today Barnes and Noble announced its Nook Tablet, the next-generation version of their current $199 Nook Color. Compared to its main competitor $199 Kindle Fire, a dual core $249 Nook Tablet has 10GB more storage and the capability to add up to 32GB through micro SD card. Also it includes a superior screen and the popular Neflix and Hulu Plus for watching videos. The app library makes up a considerably smaller part of the Android market, but it better controlled so only quality applications are allowed in.

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Asian trade publication DigiTimes reports, citing it sources, that Apple is exploring two alternative backlight design for the rumored Retina Display on iPad 3, as the single LED light bar currently used in the iPad 2 doesn’t provide enough brightness for the display.

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Apple demonstrates interest in improving OLED technology for future iPhone and iPad displays that will provide better battery life for such devices.  Earlier this week AppleInsider revealed a new patent application filled by Apple. The title of the patent is "Power Efficient Organic Light Emitting Diode Display" and describes different ways that could improve battery life, for example, displaying the color white.

OLED displays consume less power than traditional displays. This is possible because OLED technology is light emissive rather than light transmissive. But OLED displays, despite all their advantages, are less efficient that it is used for displaying a screen that is largely the color white, because an OLED panel has to utilize a range of color channels for every pixel on the display. Doing this can be power intensive and make the device inefficient.

For example, certain applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet design and use, database design and use, e-mail, and other business or productivity applications, typically utilize dark or black alphanumeric characters on a white background, such as to simulate writing or printing on a sheet of paper. As a result, these applications may cause the display of large expanses of white background with relatively little area devoted to the non-white alphanumeric characters. Such applications, therefore, may make the use of OLED displays unsuitable or undesirably power intensive for battery powered and/or portable electronic devices, such as handheld devices.

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Digitimes claims that Apple plans to completely overhaul its iPad, iMac, iPhone and MacBook Air lines in 2012, saying nothing about MacBook Pro, Mac mini, Mac Pro and iPod lines.

Apple plans to completely overhaul its product lineups, including iPad, iMac, iPhone and MacBook Air, in 2012 and is expected to finalize order volumes for key parts and components for the next-generation iPad in December, according to sources in the upstream supply chain.

The iPhone is most likely to be redesign. The iPhone 4S has the same design as the previous generation iPhone 4. So it is quite reasonable to suggest that the iPhone will receive a new design. As for iMac, its design hasn’t been changed for some years. And it’s unclear how drastically it would be changed. The iPad is expected to become thinner in 2012. Some analysts believe that Apple’s tablet could finally receive Retina display. Finally, the MacBook Air. The notebook will certainly receive new design next year. There are rumors about a 15" Air-like design. Moreover, the Air and Pro lines is expected to be merged into one, but the Air form factor will dominate the consumer market in the near future.

Digitimes suggests that Apple's next iPad should enter mass production soon with a launch set for March 2012. But this new product won’t be a “real” iPad 3 rather an updated iPad 2. The “real” iPad 3 is expected to be launched no earlier that the third quarter of 2012. Although Digitimes does not provide any distinction as to what qualifies as a "real iPad 3", the site claims that it would be thinner than the iPad 2 and offer longer battery life.

The most obvious difference between the updated iPad 2 and the “real” iPad 3 is an ultra-high resolution Retina display that is rumored to be implemented in the iPad 3. Rumors about Apple’s plans to build in such display in their devices have been circulating for months. But the most recent reports indicate that Apple's suppliers are finding it challenge to produce such high density displays. Anyway Apple could change their plains at any moment.

Airplay Mirroring demo on an iPad 2

Reportedly, iMessage and AirPlay Mirroring will be added to OS X Lion. AirPlay Mirroring was first launched on the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. It enables you to wirelessly stream display content of your iPhone or iPad to the HDTV through Apple TV. Implementation of this feature on the Mac will reportedly be similar and will allow broadcasting whatever is on your desktop to your TV.

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CNET reports that LG Display and Samsung are still struggling for the opportunity to become supplier of displays for the iPad 3 that is rumored to be launched next year. Sources have claimed that Apple is planning a 2048 x 1536 display for the device, double that of the current iPad in each dimension.

But whether manufacturers can make them in volumes that Apple demands is the question. "They have production plans for 2,048x1,536 displays. Starting in November. But those are only plans at this point," said the source, referring to LG and Samsung.

"It's not a question of making just one. That, of course, can be done. The challenge is making lots of them," the source said. "This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn't been done before."

Apple was said to plan the launch of the iPad 3 later this year, but it had to push the release back to 2012. The main problem for the company was display production.

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Rumors of an Apple-branded television have been circulating for years, and now have revived after release of Steve Jobs’ authorized biography, where he claims that he finally “cracked” problem. Some analysts expect that Apple may release a new television set as soon as next year. Among the newly presented evidence is a claim that prototypes of the Apple television set are now "in the works".

- Based on Jan-11 meetings in Asia (not with component suppliers), we believe Apple is investing in manufacturing facilities and securing supply for LCD displays. These displays could range from 3.5" mobile displays to 50" television displays.

- More recently, in Sept-11 we met with a contact close to an Asian component supplier who indicated that prototypes of an Apple television are in the works.

Other evidence is several patents and patent applications filed by Apple that addressing the company's work into television-related technologies.  Our expectations from Apple TV include integration with iCloud that would provide access to iTunes Store video content.  Apple is believed could sell 1.4 million television sets at an average selling price of $1800 in 2012, ramping up to 4.3 million units by 2014 as costs drop to an average selling price of $1400.

Apple has long promoted its high resolution Retina" display that was first released in the iPhone 4 with 326 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution. Later this display made its way to iPhone 4S and iPod touch, and now is set to be included in the iPad 3 with Apple planning to offer 2048 x 1536 resolution on the 9.7-inch screen. Toshiba has gone even further and yesterday introduced a new 6.1-inch display with resolution of 2560 x 1600 and 498 ppi.

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As Taiwan’s United Daily reports (via Unwired View), Apple received samples of 7.85-inch displays with the 1024x768 resolution of current iPads. LG Display and AU Optronics send these samples to Apple, which is reportedly set to launch the "iPad mini" early 2012.

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Samsung made a next step in its battle with Apple and filed for a preliminary injunction against the iPhone 4S in Australia and Japan. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Japan filing that is also attempting to halt sales of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2, accuses Apple of infringements in technology and user interface patents. The patents apparently relate to “the display of a flight mode icon, the utilization of homescreen space, and an app store menu structure”. Samsung claims that in Australia Apple has infringed on patents related to wireless telecommunication standards.

A Samsung spokesperson said that the company is “now counterattacking Apple again”. Though, many believe that Samsung’s attack will certainly fail. Moreover, an Australian judge will unlikely consider patents Samsung using in the filing as enough for a preliminary injunction, because they are essential for the 3G telecommunications network. As for Japan filings, the situation here is not so obvious like in Australia. This means Samsung could seek injunctions on them and it would be up to Apple to contest their validity.

Apple has released new iOS app for mailing post cards right from your iPhone. The Cards app, according to Apple:

The new Cards app from Apple lets you create and mail beautifully crafted cards personalized with your own text and photos — right from your iPhone or iPod touch. Take a quick snapshot and with a few taps and swipes, an elegant letterpress card is on its way to any address in the world. Each card is just $2.99 when sent within the U.S. and $4.99 when sent to or from anywhere else. And that includes postage.

The Cards app is available free of charge from the App Store here.

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Today Apple has begun selling its new iPhone 4S in seven countries: US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Australia. The device is available in two colors (black, white) and three storage sizes (16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB).  As usual, lines have begun forming near Apple Stores worldwide and Apple Store employees were pulling overnight shifts to put up new displays and promo materials for the iPhone 4S launch.

The Japanese launch was hampered by registration slowdowns from Softbank, according to the Wall Street Journal:

The launch of the iPhone 4S in Japan was interrupted when Softbank – the main service provider for Apple products in the country—suffered a server glitch that temporarily suspended sales nationwide. A company spokesman said the servers were unable to process registration information.

Apple has already received more than one million pre-orders for the iPhone 4S. Analysts are predicting that weekend sales will exceed the iPhone 4 which were sold 1.7 million units its opening weekend. Estimates range from 2 million to 4 million.

Yesterday Apple released the long-awaited iOS 5 for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, first-generation iPad, fourth-generation iPod touch, and third-generation iPod touch. An update is also available for the Apple TV, bringing wireless mirroring functionality over AirPlay. To update to the iOS 5 users should install iTunes 10.5 released on Tuesday. Noteworthy it is the last time when Apple provides their users with update with USB. All next updates will be available wirelessly, without the need to use a cable.

The iOS 5 pack includes more that 200 new features. The most noteworthy among them are the following:

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We know that iPhone 4S is better than the iPhone 4, let's take a look at how Apple's latest smartphone compares to Android and Windows phones. Engadget compared iPhone 4S with Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola Droid Bionic and HTC Titan. The first two are Android based, while the last one is Windows one.

Take a look at the results:

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